The respective staffs will soon begin to study the rules of engagement
A point for Elly Schlein: within the Democratic Party, the opening of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is perceived as a victory in the internal race within the opposition camp to conquer the role of 'anti Meloni'. “Meloni has accepted Elly Schlein's challenge, it's better this way”, say parliamentary sources, poorly concealing their satisfaction with what appears to be the start of a all-female 'duel' destined to continue for the entire duration of the campaign for the European elections.
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“I willingly engage in a TV comparison, were Meloni's words: “I believe it is normal and right for the Prime Minister to confront the leader of the opposition before the electoral campaign of the European elections”. A time reference that allows us to imagine short times for the first 'round' of the challenge launched by Schlein three weeks ago, during the PD assembly at the studios on Tiburtina.
“I'm always ready for discussion“, the dem leader had said on that occasion, “I have asked several times, in the appropriate places, starting with parliamentary offices, to confront Meloni. I have never shied away from discussing the merits with her, at any time, on any issue, whether on television or not on television.”
Before that, Brothers of Italy had invited Schlein to Atreju, but the secretary had declined: “I don't share the stage with subversives who say that the Spanish prime minister should be hung by his feet”, Schlein had retorted in reference to the presence of the Vox leader at the event of Meloni's party. To then add: “I discuss when he wants, but not at his house.” The ring will most likely be a television studio, therefore. One minute after Meloni's opening, it is reported by Pd parliamentary sources, the first contacts began between the TV channels interested in hosting the debate and the Dems.
The first to call would have been Porta a Porta and Sky tg24. And from the Democratic Party they assure that contacts between the respective staff will soon begin to plan the rules of engagement. It remains to be defined, for example, whether it will be a discussion on individual themes or a 360-degree one; whether it will be a face-to-face meeting with mirror questions for one and the other and with defined times for the answers – on the model of the American comparisons – or whether instead we will opt for an informal face-to-face meeting which gives the duelists' ability to address each other.
All this, net of the fact that the two leaders will run for the next European elections. Today Meloni clarifies his position, leaving more than a glimmer of hope that he might take the field: “I haven't decided on the topic yet, I'm a person for whom nothing matters more than knowing that I have the consent of the citizens, every time I made a decision I measured myself against the consensus of the citizens and even now it would be useful and interesting”.
It's at Giuseppe Conte, Meloni sends a clear message: “My candidacy would push other leaders to get involved and this would be interesting. It would not be a mockery of the citizens, as some say, the citizens know that you will not go to Europe, but it is a way to make a judgment” on the leaders who are running for office. The president of the M5s, in fact, has made it known that he does not want to be involved because the M5s has always believed that those who have the possibility of honoring the voters' mandate should be candidates, something that evidently neither Meloni nor Schlein could do while maintaining their role .
Meloni, however, is aware that an electoral campaign, at this moment, would take away time and energy from the government's action: “I have to understand whether my personal candidacy would take time away from my work as prime minister and I think that is a decision to be made with the other majority leaders”, explains Meloni.
According to M5s sources, it does not seem that the approach of the duel worries Conte's party. The belief is that it is a 'ping pong' designed to corner the M5s leader who, however, has always said he is ready to compete with the prime minister, even in Atreju, except for the about-turn from the party leaders. A challenge within a challenge, that of Conte, to which no response was received. The suspicion of senior M5s leaders is that Meloni wants to choose the most congenial opponent who is least difficult for her, identified as Schlein.
Article by Paolo Molinari-Agi
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